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Eddie Burns was part of the Detroit Blues scene of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. He started out as a session man for the legendary John Lee Hooker. Eddie might have had a bigger name if he had toured more often, but he was happy just to stay in Michigan. His 1952 single, “Hey Miss Jessie Lee,” released on DeLuxe Records, is worth up to $500.00. In 1957, J-V-B Records released “Treat Me Like I Treat You.” Both the 45 and 78 rpm versions can sell for $600.00 today.

Madonna has sold over 300 million records and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. Inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, Madonna is the number 1 best-selling recording artist of the 20th century. In 1983, Sire Records released her album, “Like a Virgin.” With over 21 million sold, it became her first number 1 album. A white vinyl copy is worth up to $125.00 today.

Gospel music played an important part in the life and career of Elvis Presley. He grew up with Gospel music and would often sing it to warm up for recording sessions. His own personal record collection contained many Gospel artists. And the king never received a Grammy for Rock N Roll or Country, but he did for Gospel. In 1966, RCA issued the Elvis Gospel single, “Joshua Fit the Battle.” With its picture sleeve, it’s worth up to $350.00 today.

Rod Bernard was a pioneer in “Swamp Rock,” which is a combination of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues, Country, and Cajun music. Mostly influenced by Elvis and Fats Domino, Rod Bernard’s biggest hit, “This Should Go on Forever,” earned him an appearance on American Bandstand. The 45, released on Argo Records in 1959, is worth up to $50.00. However, the first release in 1958 on Jin Records can get you up to $100.00 today. Both versions are shown here.

Find the values for over a million records for $24.95 on our “Record Appraisal Guide” flash drive in Microsoft word. It is available in the left hand column or receive a detailed appraisal for any record for $1.00 by clicking on “Online Appraisals” in the yellow strip above.

The son of a Methodist minister, Donald Byrd was born in Detroit and performed with Lionel Hampton before graduating high school. He would later play with Jazz greats, Art Blakey and John Coltrane, before starting his solo career. Many of his albums are quite valuable including “Jazz Eyes” on Regent Records now worth up to $500.00 and “Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill,” as seen here, released by Transition Records in 1956, is worth up to $1,800.00 today.

“You Really Got Me” was the song that launched the career of one of the most prolific hit-makers of the 60’s and 70’s. This classic by the Kinks pioneered much of the Heavy Metal and Punk Rock to follow. The song is both in the Grammy Hall of Fame and part of Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. An original copy of the single can fetch $10.00. The “You Really Got Me” album, released by Reprise Records in 1964 in mono, is worth up to $100.00 today.

Warren Zevon created a howling hit with a little help from his friends, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac. Included on Zevon’s album, “Excitable Boy,” “Werewolves Of London” hit the Billboard charts in April of 1978. The 45 on Asylum Records is worth no more than $10.00 but the picture disc version, released by Elektra Records, is worth up to $100.00 today.

You can thank John Wayne for one of Rock N Roll’s greatest hits. A young Buddy Holly sat in a darkened movie theater in 1956 watching the western classic, “The Searchers.” In the film when Wayne, in his distinctive style says, “That’ll be the day,” Holly was inspired and thus was born his first big hit. The original single on Decca can sell for $300.00.The “That’ll Be the Day” album, released on Decca Records in 1957, is worth up to $250.00 if the record label is multi-colored and up to $800.00 today if the record label is black. Little things can make a BIG difference in the value of records.

One of the most popular hard rock bands of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s is Australia’s AC/DC. With classics such as “Highway to Hell” and “You Shook Me All Night Long,” their concerts were continually sold out. Their albums went platinum even though they never had a top-20 single on the charts. In 1978, Atlantic Records released their album “Powerage.” A red vinyl copy, as shown here, is worth up to $100.00 today.

In the mid-1960’s, the Buckinghams, who chose their name to sound more British, tore up the charts with hits like “Don’t You Care,” “Susan,” “Hey Baby (They’re Playing Our Song)” and their #1 smash, “Kind of a Drag,” which is valued at no more than $20.00, but their first single, released by Spectra-Sound Records in 1965, was a cover of the Drifters’ hit, “Sweets for My Sweet.” It’s worth up to $125.00 today.